Delhi: DDMA lifts weekend curfew; theatres, restaurants to operate at 50% capacity

The Delhi Disaster Management Authority in its meeting on Thursday decided to lift the COVID-19 restriction of weekend curfew and odd-even rule for non-essential commercial establishment in the national capital, sources said. According to sources, weddings can be held in the national capital with 200 people or at 50 per cent capacity of the premises. Cinema halls, bars and restaurants can also operate at 50 per cent capacity, said sources. Delhi government offices will also operate with 50 per cent capacity. However, the decision on the reopening of schools will be taken up in the next DDMA meeting, ANI said in a report. Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal chaired the DDMA meet which was also attended by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal . The meeting was held virtually. Private offices allowed to open at 50% attendance According to an ANI report, last week, the Delhi government allowed all private offices in the National Capital Territory of Delhi, outside of Containment Zones, to function with upto 50 per cent attendance. The DDMA had, however, advised the private offices to stagger office timing, presence and quantum of staff. Earlier in the month, DDMA decided to impose a curfew in Delhi on Saturdays and Sundays to curb the COVID-19 surge. Delhi logs in 7,498 fresh COVID-19 cases According to a PTI report, the National Capital reported 7,498 fresh COVID-19 cases and 29 deaths in a day as the positivity rate rose marginally to 10.59 per cent, according to the health department’s data on Wednesday. The Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) has called the meeting on Thursday to deliberate on easing the curbs in the national capital in view of the improved situation of COVID-19. The issue of reopening schools is also on the agenda. Wednesday’s health bulletin stated that 11,164 patients were discharged in a day and less than 15 per cent of the Covid beds in hospitals were occupied. The city had logged 5,760 new Covid cases with a positivity rate of 11.79 per cent and 30 deaths on Monday. A day later there were 6,028 new Covid cases and 31 deaths with a positivity rate of 10.55 per cent, PTI said. The number of daily cases in Delhi has been on the decline after touching a high of 28,867 on 13 January. The city had recorded a positivity rate of 30.6 per cent on January 15, the highest during the ongoing wave of Covid infections. It took just 10 days for daily cases to drop below the 10,000-mark. COVID not primary reason for deaths  PTI’s report further said that Delhi had on Sunday reported 9,197 new Covid cases with a positivity rate of 13.32 per cent and 34 deaths. So far in January, 603 people have succumbed to COVID-19 in the National Capital. However, Health Minister Satyendar Jain and officials have maintained that most patients had comorbidities and Covid was not the primary reason for deaths this time. As many as 2,137 patients are in hospitals and of them, 725 are on oxygen support. Out of these 725 patients, 155 are on ventilator support. A total of 70,804 tests were conducted the previous day, including 56,737 RT-PCR ones, PTI said. President Kovind on COVID situation As per an ANI report, noting that COVID-19 has been an extraordinary challenge to humankind, President Ram Nath Kovind said on Tuesday that tackling the pandemic was bound to be more difficult in India due to high population density and limitation of resources in a developing economy but people have “shown an unmatched resolve” against the coronavirus. In his address on the eve of 73rd Republic Day, the president said the world has never been in so much need of help as now. He said it has been over two years now and humankind is still battling with the coronavirus, hundreds of thousands of lives have been lost and the world economy has been reeling under the impact. The president said the world has suffered from unprecedented misery, and surge after surge of new variants have been posing new crises, ANI said. “It has been an extraordinary challenge to humankind. The pandemic management was bound to be all the more difficult in India. We have a high population density, and as a developing economy, we did not have the level of resources and infrastructure needed to battle this invisible enemy. But it is only in such difficult times that the resilience of a nation shines forth,” he said. “I am proud to say that we have shown an unmatched resolve against the coronavirus,” he added. The president said that the vaccination drive against COVID-19 is progressing at a quick pace in the country. “In the first year itself, we raised the healthcare infrastructure and also reached out to help others. By the second year, we had developed indigenous vaccines and launched the world’s biggest vaccination drive in history. During the pandemic, we have reached out to several other countries with vaccines and other medical help. This contribution by India has been appreciated by international organizations,” he said. According to ANI, President said countless families have gone through a harrowing time and there are no words to express collective trauma. He noted that the time of crisis “has also made us appreciate how we all Indians are connected as one family”. “The time of social distancing has brought us close to each other. We have realised how much we depend on each other. Doctors, nurses and paramedics have risen to the challenge, working long hours in difficult conditions even at the risk of their lives to attend to patients. Others have kept the nation moving, managing supply chains and utilities. The leadership, policymakers, administrators and others at the central and state levels have made timely interventions,” he said. He urged people not to let their guard down as pandemic is still widespread. “There have been setbacks, unfortunately, as the virus makes a comeback with new mutations. Countless families have gone through a harrowing time. There are no words to express our collective trauma. The only saving grace is that many lives could be saved. As the pandemic is still widespread, we must remain alert and not let our guard down,” he said. The president said that precautions taken till now have to be continued. “Wearing a mask and maintaining social distancing have been essential parts of COVID appropriate behaviour. In the fight against the COVID pandemic, it has now become a sacred national duty of every citizen to follow the precautions suggested by our scientists and experts. We have to discharge this duty till the crisis is behind us,” he said. With inputs from agencies Read all the Latest News , Trending News ,  Cricket News , Bollywood News ,  India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.